


Feel the Anger

by dominobeck



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV), World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-28
Updated: 2012-03-18
Packaged: 2017-10-31 20:56:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/348285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dominobeck/pseuds/dominobeck
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eve needs help. Unfortunately, it means turning to the one person she never wanted to see again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've got some ideas for pairings, but I haven't made any firm decisions.
> 
> For WWE, takes place immediately after the 2/21 Raw and diverges from there, although events from shows after that may be incorporated into this story. For The Vampire Diaries, occurs within a week or so of the Season 3 episode "Homecoming."
> 
> While this story is part of my [DB's 50 challenge](http://dominobeck.livejournal.com/5076.html) \-- prompt No. 19, Did My Time -- it will be a multipart story.

This was a really, really bad idea.

But she was out of options. Even a bad idea was better than nothing, she told herself as she lit the candle in front of her.

Even now, she could feel him pulling at her. She had tried her best to dampen it, but she just didn't have the power for it. She was tapped out. She had only managed to hold out this long because his strength seemed to be in fire, and was naturally weaker against her strongest element. His injuries had made him weaker, as well, but she could feel his darkness creeping under her skin. It wouldn't be long now until he had her, completely. She had nowhere to go, no one else to turn to.

And she had no one to blame but herself. She had tried to deal with this on her own. After all, this wasn't the first time someone had tried to squeeze her dry since she had been on her own. But she had grown cocky, too confident in her own bound abilities.

And she was a terrible liar, as tonight had proved. There would be no knight in shining armor for her. She had played her last card, and that clumsy attempt at manipulation had cost more than she could afford. What she needed now was the best liar she had ever known.

The flickering candlelight illuminated her face in the mirror from the bottom up, giving her long shadows. She glanced down at what she had arranged around the vanity, even though she already knew everything was in its place -- a sliver of wood to the left, a small pile of ashes to the right, and a small dish of water and a thin rod of silver in front of her.

It was time to break the seal.

She took a deep breath and pricked her forefinger with a needle. She pinched hard at her finger, urging the blood out, suddenly ready to get this over with before she chickened out.

And she touched the cold, dead mirror in front of her.

She lightly drew the lines she needed with her blood, shuddering as the mirror rippled in front of her. When the last segment was drawn, she felt a rush through her body as the longtime binding spell melted away under the liquid flow of her power. She sighed in relief as his touch receded some while a much older connection reasserted itself. She felt it snap into place, and portion of her mind that had been silent for so long suddenly, blindingly opened up.

She reached through it -- reached for her -- simultaneously relieved and terrified. There would be no going back now. Because she had promised -- if she called, it would be for the rest of her life.

"I guess forever was only five years, Evie?"

Eve Torres almost laughed. Trust Katherine Pierce to throw her last words back at her.

"I guess so," she answered, a bit ruefully. Eve had meant forever when she had said it -- so defiant, so certain -- but she had been so very, very young. She understood now why Katherine had simply tossed her a musical laugh and told her she would be waiting. There were worse things than being a vampire's witch, and Katherine had told her it was only a matter of time before Eve would find one.

As usual, Katherine had been right. It was one of what Eve thought were her more annoying qualities.

"Do you have a mirror?" Eve asked. "The connection is still weak and there is another ... issue."

There was a moment's pause, and then the mirror rippled again when Katherine lightly touched the mirror the vampire was standing in front. Curiously, it also looked like a hotel room bathroom -- devoid of personality, clean and functional with forgettable decor.

"What kind of issue?" she drawled as her face slowly shimmered over Eve's reflection until Eve saw the vampire instead of her own reflection.

Her voice was soft, but Eve could hear a slight chord of tension in it. And she could feel an underlying strain through their still feeble link; another reason Eve had been wary of taking this step. Katherine never had played well with others.

Katherine had tilted her head and was studying her in that disconcerting way she had when she was looking for something to fault. Eve wanted to squirm under the attention and did her best to resist the impluse; she knew that was why Katherine was doing it. She always did like to have the upper hand, especially when Eve wanted a favor.

Eve silently lifted her hands and forearms up in front of her and dropped the glamour she had been maintaining for over a week. Spidery red and orange veins snaked across her skin, and her eyes filled with tears at the sight. They were worse than they had been yesterday; darker and thicker. And they were spreading; she could see them twining up to the tips of her fingers now.

At the same time, she opened herself up to the thready connection she could feel in the corner of her mind, purposely strengthening it and letting the other woman feel the darkness polluting her.

"You've been marked," Katherine hissed, her eyes narrowing in fury. "Someone has marked what belongs to me."

For once, Eve didn't mind the possessive turn of phrase. Five years ago, she had raged against that possessiveness until she had finally broke free of Katherine's influence.

But five years ago, Eve had thought being tied to a vampire was the worst thing imaginable. She knew better now. Kane would be so much worse, and even though she was still selling herself to the devil, at least this one was one she knew.

At least this one wanted her alive.

"I can't stop him," Eve said, the tears spilling out her cheeks. "I don't know what to do. He's pulling at me. And he's pulling power from me. Please, Katerina, please help me."


	2. Chapter 2

That foolish, silly, _stupid_ girl.

She should have called her weeks ago, Katherine fumed as she fumbled with her keys and her purse. But that was Eve -- always determined to try to exhaust all her options before asking for help. Once, Katherine had admired that quality in her witch. Now, it was simply exasperating.

Because Eve Torres was her ace in the hole. She was a long-term investment, and Katherine had no intention of losing her to whatever this "Kane" could be. Especially now -- Katherine could ill afford to be weakened just when she had thoroughly irritated the one thing she genuinely feared. She abruptly wrenched her thoughts from that -- what was done, was done, and worrying at it wouldn't change anything.

As she strode into the airport, Katherine reached out to the tenuous cord connecting her and Eve. She could feel the other woman's apprehension and exhaustion -- she had put Eve on the first available flight -- and wondered how much of the other woman's distress was seeping into her own mood. In the first few months after she and Eve had linked, they had both had trouble separating whose emotions were whose. It was one of the many reasons why this spell was so seldomly used -- it had as many drawbacks as advantages, and most considered the price too high.

But while Katherine would never admit it, it was nice to not be alone again. For nearly seven years, the sunny optimism of Eve warmed the back of her mind, and she had missed it. It had been nice to trust without having to second-guess for ulterior motives, as she had always had to do with her various traveling companions over the centuries.

 _"We're landing,"_ Katherine heard faintly through their link. And the warmth that was Eve was rapidly approaching; it was the oddest sensation.

 _"I'll meet you at the baggage claim,"_ she sent back as she studied the arrivals screen before heading off in the correct direction.

She was trying to ignore the growing sense of nervousness building in her -- because Katerina Petrova did not do nerves. She would not have survived this far if she allowed herself that luxury. But she and Eve had not parted on the best of terms, and Katherine was well aware that Eve was quite possibly the closest thing to a friend she had. And having her past thrown back in her face in recent months had shown her that maybe, just maybe, she needed one.

Katherine felt Eve behind her before she heard her soft, "Hey."

"You look terrible," Katherine answered before she could stop herself. On the outside, her witch looked perfectly put together -- neatly manicured fingers, form-fitting blue jeans and a comfortable, cowl-necked sweater. But dark, ugly circles rimmed her red eyes, and Eve looked ... faded, somehow, as if someone were leeching the color right out of her.

Eve just rolled her eyes and shifted her weight uncomfortably. "Yeah, it's been a week. A month. Whatever."

 _"Sorry,"_ Katherine said tentatively through their link as she pulled the other woman close in a hug.

Eve stiffened for a brief moment before relaxing into the embrace. "It's OK," she sent back. "I know I look like shit, and you're not exactly the flattering type."

They both laughed aloud then and pulled apart, although Katherine slipped a hand into one of Eve's and squeezed. Katherine could feel the link between them slowly fitting back into place, almost like the bond was remembering how it should exist.

Twenty minutes later, Katherine loaded the other woman's suitcases into the trunk, shooing Eve into the front seat.

"You need to rest," Katherine told her when she slid into the driver's seat. "I'll wake you up when we get to the hotel. But first..." Katherine lifted her wrist to her mouth and gently tore at it with her fangs. "You need the strength." She sighed at the stubborn look crossing Eve's face. _"Please, Evie,"_ Katherine added through their link. _"Let me help."_

Wordlessly, Eve reached for her arm and bent over her wrist. As she drank, her magic swirled up and sank into Katherine, the accompanying burn making the vampire gasp. She could feel the magic searing up through her until it hit the bond and seemed to explode outward, engulfing the two of them. Moving pictures sprang up in Katherine's mind, a dizzying array of muscled men and beautiful girls, screaming crowds, and hard-won fights. Eve was a ... gladiator?

The magic continued to spin around them for several long moments after Eve lifted her head and leaned back in her seat. When it settled, Katherine poked experimentally at the bond, relieved to feel how much stronger it was.

"You almost died," Eve murmured. "And I never knew."

"Werewolf bite," Katherine answered after a moment, shuddering slightly at the memory she realized Eve must have seen. "There was nothing you could have done."

Eve looked noticeably healthier now, Katherine noted. Her hair had regained its shine, and her face had lost that near-ashen look. She felt Eve relax the glamour around her, and Katherine sighed in relief at seeing how even those ugly red marks were fading.

"You still should have found me." Oddly, Katherine thought she detected a trace of hurt in the other woman's voice.

Katherine had thought about it, had thought about begging Damon to please find her witch for her. She had wanted to say goodbye and ... apologize. But in the end...

"I didn't want you paying for my past, too," Katherine told her firmly. "Not when I could keep you out of it."

She felt the amusement through the now-strong link, the other woman's emotions no longer muffled. "Protecting me, Katerina? I didn't know you cared."

Katherine smiled in spite of herself. "Yeah, yeah. Don't spread it around. You'll ruin my reputation."


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, brother," Eve thought as they were stopped for the third time on their way to the divas' locker room. She had forgotten how Katherine effortlessly attracted male attention -- even in a company that had its share of beautiful women. Eve had been persona non grata since kissing John Cena more than a week ago, but everyone from the Big Show to Heath Slater was ready to forget about that in order to get an introduction to Katherine.

She pried Jack Swagger's hand off Katherine's arm with a long-suffering sigh and rolled her eyes as the vampire shot him a flirty smile before they rounded the corner.

"You know something?" Katherine said as Kofi Kingston flashed her a wide, appreciative grin. "When you said you had a show, I thought you were still a dancer. But this is much better." She tossed a small wave to Kofi and laughed as Eve quickened her steps, tugging the vampire along with her.

"No," Eve said tersely before Katherine could open her mouth. "Not him. He's actually a nice guy."

She could feel Katherine's eyes on her and could practically smell the mischief through their link.

 _"I mean it, Katerina,"_ she said through the bond. _"Not Kofi."_

_"Oh? Is that his name?"_

_"Kat!"_

"Fine," Katherine said aloud as they finally reached the locker room, a noticeable sulky tone to her voice. "I'll stop smiling at him."

Eve set up at one end of the locker room, ignoring the other divas and yanking clothes out of her bag. She wasn't scheduled to wrestle, but she supposed she should try to explain the mess with Cena yesterday.

She could hear giggling from the other end of the room but determinedly blocked it out, knowing it was probably directed at her. Actually, she was certain it was about her; she could feel Katherine's growing irritation through their link. _"Forget them,"_ she sent, knowing Katherine wasn't likely to listen.

Eve slammed the locker door shut, fitting a combination lock she rarely used into the door. She didn't trust the Bella twins to not try something cute with her bag, especially not when Katherine was likely to feed their dislike of her before the night was over.

"Locking up your supply of skank juice?" one of the twins asked in a sugary tone as most of the divas in the room -- her sister, Natalya, Kelly Kelly, Alicia Fox, Rosa Mendes and Kaitlyn -- burst out laughing. Tamina just frowned and shook her head, while Beth Phoenix was clearly tuning out the entire room.

"Unlike you," Eve said, wrinkling her nose in distaste at what the twins were wearing, "I wouldn't know where to even buy something like that."

"Hoeski!" Alicia coughed into her hand, setting off a fresh round of giggles, before the Bella twin could burst out a response.

Eve just cocked her head, taking comfort in the scorn she could feel building in Katherine, and laughed derisively. It was time to channel her inner Katherine. "Oh, the Bellas may get around, honey, but that's no reason to be crude and unimaginative about it."

She blew a kiss at the twins and waggled her fingers at Alicia before sailing out the door, a softly laughing Katherine right behind her.

An hour later, Eve was trying to recapture that confidence -- anything to brace her against an arena of "hoeski" chants.

"Damn you, Zack Ryder," she thought as she held the microphone up to her lips. "Damn you and John Cena both."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," she began, pulling strength from her bond with Katherine. "But I never had a chance to explain myself from last night."

Eve took a deep breath as the chants got even louder. Oh, God, she couldn't do this.

 _"Yes, you can, Evie,"_ she felt Katherine whisper through their link. _"Remember -- today is the first day of the rest of your life."_

Eve thought about how the vampire walked and talked and then tossed her hair to one side and straightened her shoulders.

"It's been a rough few weeks," Eve continued. "With Kane. And with Zack. And maybe I said and did some things I shouldn't have. Maybe I should have just come out and asked John Cena for help instead of trying to trick him. Maybe I should have told Zack from the beginning that I wasn't the girl for him. Because no matter what he told John or what he told all of you," she said, gesturing to the crowd, "I was never his girlfriend."

The boos grew louder then, but Eve shrugged them off, centering herself on the steady feel of Katherine in the back of her mind. If she could survive centuries of pissing people off, then by God, Eve could deal with an arena of fans.

"Sure -- I screwed up. I'm human. I can admit that -- unlike John Cena, who, as you may remember, kissed me back. And then tried to say that made me a slut, so that everyone would cheer him again. Yeah, John, you got that integrity and respect thing down, all right."

She smiled then as those fans ready to boo Cena jumped in with a roar.

"I used to think I cared about his opinion. That he was my friend. And that I needed him. Because he wasn't Kane's only target -- but he was too busy worrying about how to sell T-shirts to little kids and how to insult the Rock to even notice who else the big red monster was hurting. But you know what? I'm tired of being the damsel in distress. I'm tired of being the nice girl little boys spread stories about in the locker room."

Eve paused and looked up and out into the crowd. The mood had shifted, but she couldn't quite tell how the fans were leaning.

"Someone once told me that today is the first day of the rest of your life," she said. "So today, I'm starting with a clean slate. That means -- Kane? This is over. I don't need to hide behind John Cena, and you don't need to hide behind Zack Ryder. You want me? You want hate? You come get me. Leave the little boys out of it. But honestly? I'd go find someone else to pick on. I'm out of your league, monster."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few of the lines in Eve's promo mirror the one she gave at that day's Smackdown (it was not in the on-air broadcast, though). It's posted on WWE.com.
> 
> The lines are:
> 
> "I'm sorry to interrupt. But I never had a chance to explain myself from last night."
> 
> and
> 
> "Someone once told me that today is the first day of the rest of your life. So today, I'm starting with a clean slate."


	4. Chapter 4

Eve was shaking a little as she rounded her way backstage, although she tried to hide it once she became aware of all the eyes on her. She handed her microphone over to a production assistant as Katherine slipped beside her and focused on putting one foot in front of the other.

She had just called out the Big Red Machine. It was one thing to march out in front of a crowd to dance, to fight in a match or even to get in the ring and call the Miz names. It was something else entirely to taunt a seven-foot-tall, 300-plus-pound monster.

"I think I'm going to throw up," she whispered to Katherine as the panicky feeling began to spread.

The vampire glanced around them and then hurriedly pulled her into the hallway and out of the way of the Great Khali.

 _"Just breathe,"_ Eve heard through their bond. _"Focus."_

Eve leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, concentrating on that connection. It was steady and wide open, and she could feel... everything. And Katherine wasn't frightened or worried at all. Of course, she didn't know Kane. And she was a vampire.

 _"And you're a witch,"_ Katherine sent. _"A witch with a life bond. We are not to be trifled with, Eve Torres. You'll see."_

Eve smiled at the utter confidence she sensed in Katherine. The bond was open enough that she could tell the vampire wasn't just reassuring her to make her feel better -- as if such a thing would even be in her nature.

"Okay," she whispered, as she felt the other woman's surety flow through the link and down to her toes. She used to hate it when Katherine tried to influence her moods like this, but right now, she was just grateful that her stomach had stopped roiling.

Katherine looked and then cursed. _"Camera heading this way. I'll meet you in the locker room,"_ she sent through the link as she quickly turned and made her way down the hall.

Eve frowned after her. They were going to have do something about that -- you couldn't go for long around here with getting caught on camera, and Eve needed Katherine to have her back at all times now that she had gone and picked a fight with Kane.

"Eve? Can I have a moment?"

She pasted a welcoming smile on her face as she turned to face Matt Striker and his uncomfortably bright light. It didn't look like it when you watched the videos online, but the lights for these segments were blinding in person. "Of course, Matt," she said.

"You had some strong words for Kane a few minutes ago. What are you hoping to accomplish?"

Eve almost laughed -- hadn't she been clear enough? -- but knew that wouldn't convey the right impression. "Well, Matt, Kane and I have unfinished business. While I'd like it if he just walked away, you and I both know that's not his style. I'm tired of his little games with little boys who don't matter. Like I said earlier, if he wants me, then he can come get me -- well, he can try, anyway."

She let out a silvery laugh then, knowing that was guaranteed to make Kane's blood boil. He hated it when people didn't take him seriously. "Efutue, Kane," she said sweetly and blew a kiss at the camera before turning and walking away.

That shaky feeling was back, but this time, it was adrenaline, she thought. For the first time, she fully understood the high Katherine buzzed with when she was irritating people. It was actually kind of exhilarating. And the looks everyone was shooting her -- a mix of astonishment and awe -- were fairly amusing. This, she mused, must be how CM Punk felt all the time. No wonder he didn't need drugs or alcohol.

But her enthusiasm dampened as she approached the women's locker room. Katherine was suddenly, violently angry, the fury barreling through their link and slamming into Eve.

"Oh, no," she thought. "Can't she get through at least one night here before killing someone?"

 _"I haven't killed her yet, but you might want to hurry,"_ Katherine told her wryly through the bond. _"I'm ready to either tear her throat out or compel her to do something deliciously humiliating."_

Eve hurried through the door, unsurprised to see Katherine holding Alicia Fox by the throat against one of the lockers. But she did almost laugh at the sight of Kelly Kelly unsuccessfully trying to pull the vampire off of the other diva, her efforts not fazing Katherine in the least.

"What did she say?" Eve asked in a bored tone as she passed them on her way to her locker.

"She was speculating on what Kane could have done to you," Katherine answered in a flat tone.

Eve almost stopped mid-stride but forced herself to keep her veneer of casualness going. "Did she?"

"It was a shitty thing to say," Tamina put in, looking as if she wanted to punch Alicia herself. Eve felt a burst of warmth toward the other woman; they had never really gotten along, but she appreciated the support.

"Hmmm," Eve drawled as she spun the combination on her lock and pulled her bag out. She casually slung it over one shoulder and walked over to where Katherine was still holding a struggling and red-faced Alicia. "Well, that's rude."

"Isn't it?" Katherine replied. "Tasteless and tawdry."

"Sounds like Miss Foxy, all right," Eve said as she told Katherine through the link, _"Let her go, Katherine. And 'tawdry,' really? You're going to confuse poor Kelly Kelly if you don't use small, easy-to-understand words."_

Katherine just laughed through the link, a little too pleased with herself.

Once Katherine had released Alicia, Eve turned on her heel and headed for the door. "Let's go, Kat." She opened herself up to her magic, letting the water in each person's body give her a mental map of everyone in the room. It was how she sensed the movement in Alicia before the other woman had even taken half a step.

"You really want to do this, Alicia?" she said mockingly over one shoulder. "Think about it -- I just called out Kane. Do you really think I see you as a threat? You're not even a blip on my radar."

"What has gotten into you lately?" Kelly demanded, her hands on her hips. "We're your friends!"

Eve really did laugh then, exchanging an incredulous look with Katherine. "She called me a 'hoeski,' less than an hour ago, Kelly -- and you laughed. I think it's obvious that none of us are friends."


	5. Chapter 5

Katherine knocked on the bathroom door and called out, "I'm hungry. I'll be back in a bit."

She could sense through the bond that Eve needed some quality alone time, and Katherine was feeling restless anyway. "I'll stay in the hotel if you need me."

Once downstairs, she flipped her hair back and strode into the hotel bar, knowing she had the eyes of every man in the place. Katherine perched herself at the end of the bar and waited for a lonely businessman to approach her.

She smiled in satisfaction as she heard someone ask if he could buy her a drink. But the expression slid off her face when she turned and saw his face. She definitely wasn't allowed to snack on this one.

"You're Eve's friend, right?" Kofi asked as he leaned against the bar. He was smiling, but the serious light in his eyes made her cautious.

"Kat Pearson," she answered, not bothering to extend her hand out even though she knew it was a little rude. "And you're Kofi Kingston." She shot him a sideways glance, trying not to let the smirk she knew was there surface. "I'm not really allowed to talk to you," she confided.

"Oh, really?" he asked, the smile widening. Damn, Katherine thought wistfully. It really was too bad she wasn't supposed to play with this one.

"Mmm-hmm," she answered, glancing up at him through her eyelashes. She just couldn't help herself. "Eve says you're a nice a guy."

Kofi chuckled then, and Katherine suddenly understood just why Eve had been so eager to pull her away from this man. "And that means you're not allowed to talk to me?"

"Well," Katherine began, signaling to the bartender. "She doesn't like it when I play with the nice ones. Eve has a distressing sense of fairness."

That serious glint was back in his eyes at the mention of the other woman's name. "How is she doing?" he asked carefully. "That's actually what I came over here to ask."

"She's fine," Katherine answered him just as carefully, abruptly dropping her playful flirtatiousness. She studied him for a long moment before nodding to herself. Katherine hadn't thought nice guys actually existed, but Eve could be right about this one. "She's had a tough time, but we'll work it out."

"But Kane --"

"Is our problem," Katherine interrupted. She leaned into Kofi. "We know what we're doing."

"But Eve can't fight him," Kofi said, and Katherine thawed just a little at the worry she could see in his face. "I have, and I know how dangerous he is."

"Not all fights happen in a wrestling ring," she said softly, knowing she was perhaps giving too much away. "We can handle --"

She broke off as the link flared wide open. _"Katerina!"_

"I'm sorry," Katherine said abruptly, her head throbbing with the panic she could feel from Eve. "I've got to -- I've got to go."

 _"I'm coming, Evie,"_ she sent. She hopped off the bar stool, stumbling a little as a wave of ... fire, hate, blackness ... pierced through her. Kofi was suddenly there, steadying her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, clearly concerned.

"Nothing," Katherine said as she pushed him away. "Nothing, I just... forgot something." She winced then as she felt another wave of blackness. But she opened herself up, throwing support back to Eve, as she half ran to the elevator and stabbed at the button before she realized the stairs would be quicker.

She turned to head for the stairs, but then Kofi was there, pulling her through the elevator doors as they dinged.

"What floor?" he asked urgently.

"Five," she answered, bending over as fire raced across her link with Eve. "Fuck," she said softly. She could feel the skin around her eyes tightening, and she knew her vampire face was about to slip. But Eve needed all of her strength, so Katherine didn't fight the transition.

Kofi leaned over and pulled her up against him. "What's wrong?" He touched the side of her face and tilted her head to one side. "Your eyes," he breathed. "What's wrong with your eyes?"

"Eve," Katherine whispered. "I need to get to Eve." More fire burned across the link, and she swallowed a groan. She had underestimated this Kane.

When the elevator doors opened, she stumbled out of the elevator, eluding Kofi's effort to pick her up. She sped the few doors down to their room, grabbed the door handle and shoved it open, not even bothering with the room key.

"Evie?" she called out as she ran to the bathroom and threw open the door.

Steam billowed out of the room. Katherine quickly crossed the bathroom and knelt down next to the tub full of boiling water. She fumbled with the tap until cold water came pouring out.

"I'm here, Evie," she said as she reached out and pulled her to the edge of the tub. Those ugly red marks along Eve's arms were bright orange and pulsing with light.

"Oh my God," Katherine heard from behind her. "We've got to get her out of that water!"

"No!" Katherine threw an arm up and pushed Kofi back. "No, she needs the water. It will help. Now be quiet."

"Eve! Listen to me," Katherine ordered as she tried to reach through the link but ran into resistance. "Stop fighting me. Let me in. Let me help you push him back."

She felt the barrier weaken and then fall. Katherine took a deep breath she knew she didn't need before pushing all the power she could muster through their bond. Katherine felt Eve pull on that power and push it down into the water before drawing it back into herself. The magic roared through Eve like a massive tidal wave, washing away Kane's taint. The brands on her arms abruptly winked out, and the water calmed.

For one long moment, the only noise that broke the room was the sound of the tap running.

"Kofi, hand me a towel," Katherine finally said as she flicked the tap off. She helped Eve stand and wrapped her in the towel he silently handed her. She moved to pick her up, but Kofi elbowed his way in and raised Eve up in his arms.

Eve blinked up at him and shrunk back a little, seeming to realize his presence for the first time. "Kofi?" she whispered before reaching up to lightly touch the side of his face.

"Hey," he whispered back, pulling her closer. He carried her to the bed closest to the bathroom and gently sat her down. He helped her under the blankets and tucked them in around her. "You scared me," he told her softly. "You both did."

"I'm fine," Eve said.

Kofi frowned down at her at he studied her arms. "I don't understand what... The water -- you're not even burned."

"Don't worry about it," Eve whispered. She lifted herself up and laid a soft kiss to his cheek before dropping back down, clearly exhausted.

"Katherine," she said as her head hit the pillow. "Make him forget."


End file.
